To kill a Mockingbird (Courtroom scene)

This classic scene directed by Robert Mulligan draws attention to black segregation and discrimination at the time. Robert Mulligan shows this in many ways. First, we see the black people hurrying upstairs to get to their area where they then watch the proceedings. This shows that the white didn't want to even sit with the blacks. Robert Mulligan also films the scene in black and white creating a more dramatic effect on the watcher, showing that there was a microcosm of blacks and whites everywhere.

In the case that is being held a black man is being accused of raping a white woman. The defendants layer is called Atticus Finch, this character is played by Gregory Peck. Atticus builds up the tension in the courtroom by revealing events and facts hidden by Mr. Ewell (James Anderson) and his daughter Mayella Ewell (Collin Wilcox) (The accusing people). He starts by gathering information about the injuries Mayella Ewell sustained, reassuring himself of the fact Mayella has bruises on the left side of her face. Later he proves that Mr. Ewell is left-handed, hinting Mr. Ewell has beat his daughter. During Mayella's interrogation she is very nervous and drawn back. This suggests that she has been through traumatic events and has been physically as well as mentally bruised, just not by the defendant, Tom Robinson (Brock Peters). As Tom Robinson is being interrogated by Atticus, he shows that he is right handed and can't use his left hand due to an accident when he was small. Atticus subtly shows that Tom Robinson wouldn't have punched Mayella on the left but rather the right side. Also, in the description of Mayella's injuries, Mayella had strangle marks on both sides of her throat. Tom Robinson has only one available hand, so he couldn't have done that.

In all the interrogations Atticus was building up to his final speech, where he lays down all the evidence needed to show that Tom Robinson is innocent. He runs through the evidence stepwise. First, he says there were only two witnesses and there is no concrete evidence showing Tom Robinson is guilty. He says its two white peoples word against one blacks, showing how the judges were basing their judgement on the microcosm at the time. Then he explains that he does have pity for Mayella and he realizes that bad things have happened to her, but it was not Tom Robinson who has inflicted them. A man should not go to prison because of guilt. He hints it was Mayella's father again by saying "But one person in this room has hurt her" meaning Mr. Ewell. Atticus putts more emphasis on the microcosm by stating all the things that Mayella did that were wrong to do as a white woman at the time, "Kissed a black man " and tempted by a negro". At the end of his speech Atticus also questions the judge about his ability to make just decisions in the courtroom where every man is supposed to be equal. This is a strong effect on the judge's decision because he must do his job and prosecute the right person, even with a microcosm.

As Atticus builds up to his final speech the changing moods of the Courtroom are being portrayed by music. When the tension rises the music gets louder and more dramatic and when there is a more relaxed mood in the Courtroom the music relaxes as well. Elmer Bernstein the music artist manages to capture every mood in his music. This creates more feeling to the scene and makes it more dramatic. He plays with our moods with music and manages to lead us through thoughts and worries of the individual characters. For example, when Atticus gives his final speech the music rises and tenses, pulling watchers into the speech and showing the speeches importance.

This scene is a classic because Harper Lee creates two characters that go against the stereotypes at the time, showing that every person is different and should also be. The first example is Mayella Ewell. She is a white woman, belonging to a poor family, and is attracted to a black man which is unthinkable at the time. Even though she is a very poor woman she is still above a black man since she is white, according to the microcosm at the time. The second example is Tom Robinson. He is a black man but is hardworking, honest and kind to everyone. Black men were not looked at as kind or honest at the time.

Harper Lee (Author) creates these characters to show that the stereotype set for people, at the time, was wrong and unfair. She has another opinion from the rest and expresses this which was brave to do. She also shows how apparent black discrimination was and how far the discrimination would go. Having the wrong man prosecuted in a courtroom, where every man is supposed to be equal, just because he was black is a crime in itself and Harper Lee shows us this. She shows all issues at the time and builds up the importance of them through the scene. Robert Mulligan, the director, captures the importance of the message in the scene, using techniques such as filming the hole film in black and white or physically segregating the blacks from the whites in the courtroom. The message both Harper Lee and Robert Mulligan are trying to convey is "Whether poor or rich, black or white all should be treated equally ". And this only few realized at that time. This is why the scene is a classic.